A registered dietitian from Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital is talking about the increasing trend of taking supplements, and when certain supplements can actually have a negative impact on health.

Maria McIntosh, manager of clinical nutrition at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, noted that the word supplement “can mean just about anything — from a multivitamin to herbs to weight loss supplements, muscle enhancement, sexual enhancement, all different types of things.”

While it’s becoming more and more common for people to believe that if they aren’t taking some sort of supplement, their body is missing out on some benefit, McIntosh noted that they typically aren’t necessary for most people.

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“The interesting thing is, it’s a $30 billion-a-year industry just here in this country, so a lot of people have come onto the bandwagon of, ‘I have to take supplements,’” McIntosh said. “But if you eat a wide variety of foods, chances are, you don’t need a supplement.”

McIntosh added that there are certain situations where individuals may benefit from supplementation, stressing the importance of talking to a physician before making any decisions.

While a multivitamin that contains a small amount of a variety of things isn’t usually a concern, taking a supplement with high amounts of a specific ingredient can actually interfere with a person’s health, particularly if they have been diagnosed with an illness.

“When someone is diagnosed with a particular illness and maybe prescribed medications, they’re 2.5 times more likely to start taking supplements,” McIntosh said. “Because they’re not regulated the same way that food and drugs are, it can interfere with some other things that they’re trying to do to get healthy.”

For instance, some supplements may actually interfere with the effectiveness of a prescribed medication without the doctor’s knowledge, according to McIntosh.

“Most patients don’t tell their physicians that they’re taking supplements because they think, ‘Oh it’s just a vitamin or it’s just an herb — it’s natural so why do I have to write that on my list of different things that I’m taking?’” McIntosh said.

Undisclosed supplements can even affect the outcome of elective surgeries, McIntosh noted.

“Particularly if someone is on blood thinners, your doctor may tell you to stop taking blood thinners,” she said. “Some of these supplements can enhance the effect of the blood thinner or it can decrease the effectiveness of a blood thinner, so it’s very important.”

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital is a 238-bed, not-for-profit community hospital and trauma center in Santa Clarita. The Henry Mayo Hospital emergency department is open 24-7 to provide critical life-saving services, with a panel of physicians available around the clock for critical healthcare needs. In addition, a number of specialized care services are also available, including a maternity department, community hospital cancer program, advanced primary stroke center, spine and joint program, acute rehab unit, cardiology services, outpatient wound care, physical and occupational therapies and a wide range of surgical services.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

23845 McBean Parkway

Valencia, CA 91355

661-253-8000

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

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